what do i need for a ".com" website?? please look!

hello, i'm a basic mac user and I HAVE made a web.mac page. However, I want to use a website I created on iWeb to have a ".com" page.

I know I need:
-The iWeb page(Which I do)
-A hosting service, such as GoDaddy(I can sign up for that)

Do I need anything else? Someone mentioned an "FTP" client? What the heck is that? Do I even need it if I publish the iWeb to a folder, and then upload it to the hosting site??

Thanks.

Someone mentioned an "FTP" client? What the heck is that?

Click to expand...

Basically it lets you see what's up there and your website contents are ordered in folders etc. You can upload stuff to your site but that's too advanced for me.

So I use an FTP client like CyberDuck to see what's sitting on the server and I can then remove the files that aren't visible on my website but are still taking up space there.

But do I NEED an FTP client?

From reading from apple's support on iWeb:

Instead of publishing your site to .Mac, you can publish your site to a local folder and then upload it to the server or hosting provider of your choice. You may want to use this method if you own a domain name and want to place your site there.

To publish your site to a local destination:
Choose File > Publish to a Folder.
Choose a location to store your site, and then click Choose.


Can't I just do that, for a basic web site?

This is very easy to solve.

You can continue to publish using iWeb-- no need for an FTP client.

Then, when you buy your .com through godaddy.com, you can use their Domain Forwarding and Net Address Masking options to redirect the .com address to your iWeb-created site on .mac. Your visitors will only need to know your whatever.com address, and they'll be automatically sent to your site.

Both Domain Forwarding and Net Address Masking are free services at godaddy. (Disclaimer: I am a customer, not a spokesperson.)

Hope this helps!

milk is white said:

But do I NEED an FTP client?

Click to expand...

No, you don't need an FTP client.

An FTP client gives you direct access to the files you have uploaded. You create the website using iWeb, DreamWeaver, RapidWeaver etc ... but those applications cannot delete assets/files from the host server.

caribiner23 said:

This is very easy to solve.

You can continue to publish using iWeb-- no need for an FTP client.

Then, when you buy your .com through godaddy.com, you can use their Domain Forwarding and Net Address Masking options to redirect the .com address to your iWeb-created site on .mac. Your visitors will only need to know your whatever.com address, and they'll be automatically sent to your site.

Both Domain Forwarding and Net Address Masking are free services at godaddy. (Disclaimer: I am a customer, not a spokesperson.)

Hope this helps!

Click to expand...

So, if the user goes to milkiswhite.com, the domain forwarding will take them to web.mac.com/milkiswhite?


BTW, thank you both for being so patient and answering all my questions. Rep points have been given.

milk is white said:

So, if the user goes to milkiswhite.com, the domain forwarding will take them to web.mac.com/milkiswhite?

Click to expand...

If that's how you have it set up to forward, then yes.

Here's a real-life example: our podcast's "real" site address is fourthtimearound.libsyn.com, but we own a domain that we have forwarded, so you can go to www.cheapdateshow.com and wind up at exactly the same place.

Hope this helps!

you are correct. Forwarding is just that, it forwards one address to another.

FTP is not hard. I use a prgram called cyberduck. Once you start it, you will need to click connect, enter the url of the site, usually ftp://www.yoursite.com rather than http://www.yoursite.com and then enter your username and password, click the 'connect' button, and you will see the files and folders of your site.

Then open your Local Folder where you published your site to on your computer, select the web files, drag them to the public_html folder on cyberduck, and let it work.

It's not hard, just like drag a file from one folder to another on your computer.

You should play with it, it's a good bit of knowledge to have should you ever decide to branch out from .mac.

Best,

Brian

BTW, I just cleaned up my very messy answers to your questions about what an FTP client is.

caribiner23 said:

If that's how you have it set up to forward, then yes.

Here's a real-life example: our podcast's "real" site address is fourthtimearound.libsyn.com, but we own a domain that we have forwarded, so you can go to www.cheapdateshow.com and wind up at exactly the same place.

Hope this helps!

Click to expand...

On both of your websites, when you click each link it displays the URL of the link I clicked at the top. So, basically, even if milkiswhite.com forwards it to web.mac.com/milkiswhite, it will still say milkiswhite.com?

once again, thanks!!

milk is white said:

On both of your websites, when you click each link it displays the URL of the link I clicked at the top. So, basically, even if milkiswhite.com forwards it to web.mac.com/milkiswhite, it will still say milkiswhite.com?

Click to expand...

It can, if that's what you want. There are actually two features at work here:

1) The domain forwarding will allow your users to type www.milkiswhite.com and be sent to web.mac.com/milkiswhite;

2) The domain name masking will leave the address www.milkiswhite.com in the address bar, regardless of where your visitors go within your site.

You're welcome!

You should consider checking out an FTP client like CyberDuck. It's easy to use once you get the hang of it.


FTP 101 - A Beginner's Guide

Glad to help ....

Sorry to be a bother yet one more time, but how can i do this without a .mac subscription?? thanks.

I'm thinking if you sign up for the godaddy.com and buy your own .com then you will just publish your website to their domain ... but bear in mind I don't have any experience with this other than uploading my own website created using RapidWeaver to my ISPs 20Mb webspace .... it's not a .com and I have to direct people there myself.

Hope this helps you.

If you want me to host your website cheap pm me.